ADA 2OY: MIME + STAGE COMBAT ASSIGNMENT

Mime and Stage Combat are two theatrical disciplines that pursue storytelling through primarily
physical means and share some common characteristics, conventions and skills. One can even go as far as
suggest that learning the fundamentals of mime can be superb preparation for the mastery of stage combat. Both
mediums concentrate a great deal on the ability to isolate specific areas of the body; a single muscle, or group of
muscles, and move it without engaging other muscles, in order to execute clean, distinct illusions or combat
strikes and reactions. Students of both mime and stage combat work with space and distance as an integral part
of the disciplines. They need to be sensitive to the theatrical uses and qualities of space. Both disciplines rely on
rhythmic communication, where students develop the ability to synchronize their kinetic systems with others,
playing in harmony or in counterpoint to them and learn to execute several rhythms simultaneously. Both rely
on comic and serious theatrical exaggeration and the magic of creating illusions. Ultimately, both stage
combatants and mimes are actors who must rely on full body acting and must have the ability to be convincing,
authentic, and powerful.
Learning Goals:

Develop physical and spatial awareness, efficiency of movement, partnering skills, focus, timing,
commitment, and responsibility.
To demonstrate key principles of illusion mime and stage combat connected to detailed character
exploration.
Incorporate safe, technical proficient stage combat techniques into the acting process.
Integrate both mime and stage combat techniques in order to present identified personal or social issues
in dramatic situations.

TASK: You will work in groups of 4 or 5 to devise (working from a non-text basis) and create a believable and
credible mime and stage combat scene.

As a group you need to explore a personal or social issue in your scene in which violence (Stage
Combat) is involved. The following are examples of contemporary social and personal issues:
o Ageism / Age Discrimination; Airport Screening Procedures; Alcoholism; Animal Rights; AntiMuslim Discrimination; Bullying; Child Labour; Domestic Violence; Drinking and Driving; /
Drug Addiction; Environmental Pollution; Gang Violence; Gay
Person A
Rights; Global Warming; Gun Control; Hate Crimes; Hazing; Human
Person B
Trafficking; Hunger; Identify Theft; Illegal Immigration; Poverty,
Punch
Racial Profiling; Racism; Social Networking and Privacy; Sweat
Victim Knap
Shops; Violence in Schools; Violence in Music Videos or Video
Backhand slap
Games, etc
Team Knap
You will have to choreograph and incorporate a fight sequence which
React
contains AT LEAST TWENTY moves (ie, attacker move + victim reaction
Choke
= 2 moves).
React
Add costumes, props, music and other theatrical elements to enhance the
Shove
overall performance.

PART ONE: MIME

In the first part of your scene you will use mime skills and illusions to establish the environment on
stage, the setting, the characters and the relationships within the scene as clearly and believably as
possible.
This will help you focus your character development and relationships strictly through physical means;
gestures, mannerisms, exaggeration, facial expressions, expressive body movements, reactions and
illusions of space.
Try to develop a sense of space, setting, character and emotional believability to engage and draw the
audience in prior to uttering a single word.
Sometimes the most powerful and memorable moments on stage are created in SILENCE prior to the
start of the action.
This portion of your scene should be approximately 30 seconds long.
PART TWO: STAGE COMBAT
After you are able to establish the dramatic exposition through mime, you may add dialogue (keep it
minimal), and build your scene up to its dramatic climax. The latter part of the scene is where you want
to include the bulk of your stage combat choreography.
Stage combat moves in your finished scene should be performed in three-quarter speed, NOT full
speed the point is to get it right, not do it fast!

Remember, the key is to rely on your BODY, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, EMOTIONS, and PHYSICAL
CHOICES, NOT your voice, to develop an interesting scene that shows fully realized characters (believable
and three dimensional) and centers around a personal and/or social issue.
Success Criteria

Always follow the choreography, never improvise

Make eye contact with your partner.
Develop trust between you and your partner.
Base the scene on a personal or social issue.
Always establish a safe distance from your partner.
Excellent use of mime skills demonstrated throughout (wind up/click/release, exaggerations, isolations, whole body use (face!))
Never go faster than speed.
Rehearse and execute moves in slow motion.
Consider stage positioning so fight looks as realistic as possible to the audience.
Choreograph the fight according to the abilities and limitations of your actors.
Create an outline of the fight sequences/choreography
Always work with a lot of room/space around you
Establish a frame around your partner.
Energize and exaggerate physical delivery
Contribute significant positivity, energy and ideas during the rehearsal process.
Actions should always be detailed, crisp and clear.
Sell the Fight!

Mime and Stage Combat Performance Rubric

Categories

LEVEL FOUR
(100 80%)
Demonstrates thorough
knowledge of combat
principles

LEVEL THREE
(79 70%)
Demonstrates good
knowledge of combat
principles

LEVEL TWO
(69 60%)
Demonstrates some
knowledge of combat
principles

LEVEL ONE
(59 50%)
Demonstrates limited
knowledge of combat
principles

Demonstrates thorough
knowledge of mime skills
principles

Demonstrates good
knowledge of mime
principles and skills

Demonstrates some
knowledge of mime skills
and principles

Demonstrates limited
knowledge of mime skills
and principles

Student contributes ideas,

feedback, and positive
energy to rehearsals; Tons
of experimentation and/or
group work skills shown

Student is usually working

with others to build scene;
Good experimenting
and/or work effectively in
a group

Student contributes
occasionally to rehearsals;
Some experimenting and/or
somewhat effective group
work

Student is unfocused
during rehearsals; Limited
exploration and work
skills shown

Blocking/
use of stage
A3.1

Excellent use of stage

space/blocking. Actions are
always directed to audience

Good use of stage

space/blocking. Actions
are directed to audience

Satisfactory use of stage

space; some work needed on
blocking

Ineffective use of space;

little evidence of blocking

Storyline
A1.1

Excellent exploration of
chosen issue; surprising,
moving; well thought- out
Positioning of combat
moves helps enhance story,
character & combat illusion

Good exploration of
chosen issue; Story is clear
and mostly effective
Moves are correctly and
effectively placed onstage

Some exploration of an
issue; Somewhat clear and
effective story
Moves are sometimes
effectively placed onstage

Issue exploration and

story are limited/lacking

Application
Safety C3.1

Thoroughly identifies and

explains:
-purpose, aesthetic and
technical aspects of
drama
-function of forms in
communities and
cultures from the
past/present
- skills, attitudes, and
strategies used in their
group drama and their
usefulness in other contexts
Actor shows exceptional
commitment to safety

Identifies and explains:

-purpose, aesthetic and
technical aspects of
drama
-function of forms in
communities and
cultures from the
past/present
- skills, attitudes, and
strategies used in their
group drama and their
usefulness in other
contexts
Actor works safely at all
times

Somewhat identifies and

explains:
-purpose, aesthetic and
technical aspects of
drama
-function of forms in
communities and
cultures from the
past/present
- skills, attitudes, and
strategies used in their group
drama and their usefulness
in other contexts
Actor often works safety,
with some lapses

Limited explanations of:

-purpose, aesthetic
and technical
aspects of drama
-function of forms in
communities and
cultures from the
past/present
- skills, attitudes, and
strategies used in their
group drama and their
usefulness in other
contexts
Actor rarely considers
safety

Actor Focus
A2.1

Exceptional focus through

challenging material

Considerable focus
onstage

Occasionally focused in
performance

Actor is rarely focused in

performance

Mime Illusions
A1.2
A2.2

Actions and details are

always exaggerated; mime
is always crisp; whole body
is always used; Clicks
can always be seen

Actions and details are

usually exaggerated; mime
is mostly crisp; whole
body is mostly used;
Clicks usually seen

Actions and details are often

exaggerated; mime is
sometimes crisp; whole body
is sometimes used; Clicks
can sometimes be seen

Actions and details are

rarely exaggerated; mime
is rarely crisp; whole body
is rarely used; Clicks
can rarely be seen

Combat Moves
A1.2
A2.2

A variety of moves are

performed exceptionally
well

A variety of combat moves

are performed correctly

Most combat moves

performed correctly, with
some major errors

Most combat moves

performed incorrectly or
ineffectively

Music/Production
Elements (props,
costumes) A3.3

Production elements and

music thoroughly enhance
overall production.

Prod. elements and music

are useful and connected
to the story

Prod. elements and m;usic

show some thought

Prod. elements and music

are limited

Theatre/audience

Thorough

Good understanding
of theatre &

Some understanding

Limited

Knowledge
Stage Combat
Principles
A1.2
Mime
Skills/Principles
A1.2
Thinking
Rehearsal/group
skills
A3.2

Communication
Stage Positioning
A3.1
Rubric questions
B1.3
B2.1
B3.1

Moves are rarely placed

effectively onstage

etiquette
C3.3
Metacognition/po
st performance
Self
Reflection
B1.1

understanding of
theatre & audience
etiquette, in
classroom and
performance
contexts.
Demonstrates an indepth
understanding of own and
others strenghts,
weaknesses , learning and
contributions

audience etiquette
Self reflection
demonstrates a good
understanding of own and
others strenghts,
weaknesses , learning and
contributions

of theatre & audience

etiquette

understanding

Self reflection demonstrates

some understanding of own
and others strenghts,
weaknesses , learning and
contributions

Self reflection
demonstrates a limited
understanding of own and
others strenghts,
weaknesses , learning and
contributions

Reflection Questions:
Please answer all questions in full sentences. Please be detailed, analytical and self-reflective
about your process. You are going to record and share this to me. I recommend using WeVideo
but you are welcome to record and share your reflections on the platform of your choosing. This
is about your thinking and not your writing so be sure to fully explore all of the prompts.
1. What role did you play when planning your group presentation? How could you improve your effectiveness in
this role?

2. What skills or strategies did you use to negotiate in your group? How did the strategies help you solve problems
during the rehearsal process?

3. When do you have to work as a team member in other areas of your life? What skills do you need to be part of a
team?

4. How were staging and blocking used to help communicate information about the characters? Did they contribute
to an effective presentation?

5. How did you use production or technical elements to emphasize and highlight the mood/tone of your piece? How

important were these in the overall effectiveness of your scene?

Self- Reflection: Include a personal reflection about your process and final performance
(Questions to consider: What skills did you learn working through this assignment? What specific things did you do in this
performance to make the scenario and your character clear to the audience? What was the most challenging thing about doing a
combined mime and stage combat scene? What would you do differently next time? In what ways and for what purpose(s) do you
think we could use the skills we learned through this unit in everyday life?